Hockey: Watertown Raiders upset visiting Winchester

Facing an opponent that a lot of folks believe will go to the Super Eight tournament this year, the Watertown High boys hockey team upset visiting Winchester 3-1 on Saturday December 21.

Frank Santarpio

Facing an opponent that a lot of folks believe will go to the Super Eight tournament this year, the Watertown High boys hockey team upset visiting Winchester 3-1 on Saturday December 21.

"Certainly one of the program's biggest wins in a long, long time," Watertown head coach Mike Hayes said after the victory. "We just came out focused and played really hard. We also played a very smart game and I am proud of each and every member of this team for the way they performed."

Ten minutes into the game senior captain and first line center Joey Kelland opened the scoring on a nice give and go pass from junior linemate Chris Fidler. One minute later the Raiders doubled their lead when sophomore Mike Giordano banked home a rebound of a Fidler shot and suddenly it was a 2-0 Raider advantage.

"Right after we scored that first goal we went right back at them," Hayes said. "We weren't going to sit back and be afraid of this team."

Before the first period ended the Sachems got the lead back down to one on a late power-play tally but the locals got that goal right back midway through the second period when senior Dante Flori, on a nice feed from sophomore Tyler Gardner, shot one through a screen that found the net.

That goal ended up being the final tally of the contest as the Raiders, behind some solid goaltending from junior netminder Anthony Busconi (28 saves), held off Winchester the rest of the way.

"It was a very big win but we have a motto on this team that says when we win we move on and when we lose we move on," Hayes said. "These boys get that. They are a very easy team to coach."

The Wincester win came off the Raiders first loss of the season on Wednesday December 18 when the locals fell at Arlington 3-2. Gardner got the first goal of the game but the Spy Ponders recorded the next two to go up a goal. Watertown, though, tied the game late in the second on a Fidler goal (assist from Flori) but an Arlington short-handed tally midway through the third ended up being the difference maker.

"It is a tough way to lose when you give up a short-handed goal like that," Hayes said. "But the boys showed they moved on from that with that big win over Winchester."

In the loss to Arlington the Raiders lost first line forward and senior Matt Donnell who suffered an ankle injury and concussion halfway through the game. Donnell will likely be out for at least a couple of weeks.

With that loss Hayes was forced to move people around including moving third line forward Nick Martino all the way up to the first line.

"Nick was spectacular in that game," Hayes said. "It was a tough spot for him but he deserves mention for the way he played."